This past week we lost two actors beloved by SF geeks around the world: Ricardo Montalbon and Patrick McGoohan. For those not in the know, Montalban was the star of Fantasy Island and also played KHAAAAAAAAAAAN on Star Trek, McGoohan was the genius behind cult classic The Prisoner. On Christmas day we also lost Eartha Kitt, who’s SF cred included a stint as Catwoman opposite Adam West’s Batman.
What impact did these actors and the media they helped create and/or bring to life have on the genre, on television in general, and on you personally? What about any other genre actors, writers or creators we’ve lost in the last year or so?
1 • Randy Henderson said:
January 16th, 2009 at 2:19 pm, permalink
Montalban was the man. He was the Star Trek villain. And because of him, I knew two things I might not otherwise – the existence of fine Corinthian leather, and how to say, “Quien es mas macho, Ricardo Montalbon o Fernando Lamas?” He also did work to promote Latino actors.
Speaking of Star Trek, Majel Roddenberry died last month. She was the wife of Gene Roddenberry, and played the voice of the Enterprise computer in every Star Trek series, as well as Nurse Chapel and Lwaxana Troi. I won’t miss Lwaxana, but future incarnations of the Enterprise won’t feel right without her voice.
But when it comes to female voices, Eartha Kitt steals the show. She was, I think, the first singer of “Santa Baby,” and in my mind she was cat woman. Much is made (and rightly so) of Nichelle Nichols’ role on Star Trek as Uhura, but let’s not understate the significance of Eartha’s role on a show viewed by young minds not entrenched in old prejudices (putting aside the obvious downside of Cat Woman being a villainess).
Arthur C. Clarke, one of the most iconic scifi authors besides Asimov and Heinlein, died in March, 2008, just two years short of seeing the year 2010 (the date of his sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey). That pretty well sucks.
Madeleine L’Engle died in 2007, but still sad about that one. She helped bring a lot of children (and adults) into the world of science fiction and fantasy with A Wrinkle in Time.
Likewise, Lloyd Alexander died in 2007, and his Chronicles of Prydain (including The Black Cauldron) were gateways to fantasy for many young readers.
And although Octavia Butler died in 2006, her contributions both as a writer in general and as an African American woman in a field dominated by white voices were significant enough to warrant mention still.
Robert Jordan died at the end of 2007. Whatever your views of his cultural faux pas or excessive verbosity, he did draw in fans to the genre, and he couldn’t have been happy to pass on one book short of finishing his 12 book epic. FYI, Brandon Sanderson was tapped to finish the book, which last I heard is supposed to be published in Fall 2009.
But while it grieves those left behind to have lost these artists, the very fact that we grieve their loss says that their lives were not a waste of air, food and space.
So smiles, everyone. Smiles.
2 • the little fluffy cat said:
January 16th, 2009 at 3:02 pm, permalink
I think the great comfort for me, at times like this, is that technology preserves performance for us so beautifully now.
I reach for my dvds of The Prisoner, or even go to AMC’s site where they are streaming the episodes, and there McGoohan is; angry, self-deprecating, wry, utterly intelligent, fierce in the very best sense of the word. A flat image? Dead? Never. He leaps off the screen, and always will.
Behind me I hear a warm chuckle, and I know, if I looked, there would be a handsome Hispanic gentleman in an impeccable white suit, nodding.
3 • Michael Gordon said:
January 16th, 2009 at 3:21 pm, permalink
Michael Crichton, 1942-2008. I had nightmares about raptors for months after reading (and watching) Jurassic Park.